Reza Pahlavi accused Ansari of embezzling $24 million, while Ansari, in turn, filed a lien against Pahlavi for $1.7 million. The legal proceedings that followed revealed the complicated nature of their financial dealings. Pahlavi’s legal team argued that, due to his political responsibilities and inexperience with financial matters, he had trusted Ansari to manage his assets without close supervision. On the other hand, Ansari defended himself by asserting that he had faithfully executed all of Pahlavi’s orders and had not acted without the prince’s knowledge.
The court ultimately ruled in favor of Reza Pahlavi in 1996, ordering Ansari to return $7.3 million to the Pahlavi family and imposing a $2 million fine. The case brought to light the personal and financial struggles of the Pahlavi family in exile, as well as the difficulties faced by those who had once enjoyed privileged positions under the Shah’s regime.
